


Papercuts and Heartache

by yellowpaintpots



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort in a way?, M/M, Memory Loss, Multi, Time Travel, and the effects of regular time travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:34:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28986450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yellowpaintpots/pseuds/yellowpaintpots
Summary: Who is he? Who is anyone? He doesn't understand anything anymore.AKA Karl travels too much and forgets who he is.
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity/Karl Jacobs/Sapnap
Comments: 11
Kudos: 224





	Papercuts and Heartache

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't refer to Karl by name until the end of this. Yes that is on purpose.

The room is small and barely lit, the only light coming from the lantern on the floor and the moonlight through the window. There's paper everywhere, stacks on the desk and all over the ground. Notes; some neatly written and some much more rushed. In the center of the room is a man, colorful hoodie dulled down with time. Just like him. He's looking for something amongst the notes but... What?

None of the notes have dates, but it's easier to tell the new from the old based on their quality. The older ones are neatly written in black ink, rounded lettering against cream paper stained with coffee, ink and blood. The newer ones are hastily written, letters smudged. Why had he written these ones so quickly? Was it even him that wrote them?

He's tired. Hasn't slept in days, limbs heavy with exhaustion and eyes burning. He knows he needs sleep, would love nothing more than to finally rest, but he _can't_ \- Can't leave the room, can't eat, can't sleep. He needs to find it. Needs to find... He doesn't know. Maybe he'll recognize it when he finally sees it.

He picks up a note, crumpled in the corners with a reddish-brown stain towards the center. The writing is somewhere between messy and neat. He squints at the words but they just don't make sense to him.

_None of this makes sense._

He groans, throws the note down into the pile of other discarded ones he'd already worked through before picking up another. It's just as hard to make out. None of the names make sense, none of the locations ring a bell.

_Who is Dream?_

He's tired. He's so, _so_ tired.

There's a knock at the door. The handle rattles but otherwise doesn't budge. Locked. As he turns to face the door, the key on the chain around his neck moves against his chest.

"Karl?" A voice says. Quiet, shaky... Worried? "Karl, baby, you've been in there for days now. Please, we're worried."

The voice sounds strangely familiar but he can't quite place it. It just further tangles the mess of names and voices and information in his brain. _Karl_? Who-

"...Baby?"

A different voice. Equally concerned. If he stays quiet enough he can hear quiet murmuring from the other side of the door.

"Who is it?" He asks finally. His voice cracks. He doesn't remember the last time he spoke.

_I don't remember a lot these days._

There's a silence that follows his question, followed by some shuffling and what sounds like a muffled sob. The first voice speaks up again.

"It's Sapnap and Alex. Your partners? Karl, please, this isn't-" Another pause, a shaky breath. "Let us in. Let us help- Goddammit, we love you and we hate seeing what all of this is doing to you. I- Alex, baby, shhh..." Another pause and some soft whispers that Karl can't quite make out.

He stands up and walks as quietly as he can over to the door. He presses the palm of his hand against the wood. Something in his brain softly says, _'They're doing that too.'_. It brings a strange feeling of comfort.

"Karl..." The second voice whispers.

"I know you said you wanted to do this alone. I know you're trying to protect us. I- I know all of this, I do. But let us protect you too. That's what we do, isn't it?"

 _I don't know,_ he thinks. _I'm sorry. I don't remember._

He can't find it in himself to say it out loud.

When he doesn't speak he hears another small sigh. "At least come to bed tonight? You can continue in the morning."

And it sounds so good. It does, it really does. He opens his mouth ready to decline but it hurts to even consider. He wipes his eyes - When did he start crying? - and uses the key to unlock the door.  
He doesn't recognize the two that stand outside the door. Not really, anyway, but there's a strange feeling of safety and comfort that comes just from the sight of them. His chest feels warm and when the taller of the two opens his arms, Karl can't help but fall into them.

And there, wrapped up in the arms of the two he loves, Karl remembers who he is.

But just for tonight.

There is still so much more he needs to do.

**Author's Note:**

> Maybe.... Maybe I'll write more for this... If people like this...


End file.
